Slides Paul Hurwitz recently used in his discussion w/ mentees of The Product Mentor. Synopsis: Key items to keep in mind when making the transition and what new tasks you'll be performing when you make the transition. Do you have to advance your career? What does it mean to manage Product Managers? The Product Mentor is a program designed to pair Product Mentors and Mentees from around the World, across all industries, from start-up to enterprise, guided by the fundamental goals…Better Decisions. Better Products. Better Product People. Throughout the program, each mentor leads a conversation in an area of their expertise that is live streamed and available to both mentee and the broader product community. http://TheProductMentor.com

1. How to Transition into
Product Leadership

2. 20+ Years in technology roles
12+ Years in Product roles
Finance/Accounting, Life Sciences & Health Tech products
Product Manager > Senior Product Manager > Director of Product x2> VP of Product

3. Do you need to move up the ladder?
● Super Star vs Rock Star

4. Types of advancement
● First Product Leader in a company
● Replacing an Existing product leader

5. Concerns and Challenges of Moving up the ladder

6. Concern #1:
Knowing what a product leader does

7. Concern #2:
Concerned about not getting your hands dirty
● How far removed from hands-on product management work will I be?
● How do you give PMs autonomy and not make yourself redundant?
● Being a product manager but wanting to have more influence?

8. Concern #3:
How do I move into a leadership role?
● Open and honest discussion with manager
● Show leadership skills and increase your visibility

9. What do product leaders do?
● Building/nurturing a product team
● Tools and Process
● Growing cross-functional collaboration
● Outcomes & Strategy
● Working with C-level execs on business/product/goal alignment

10. Building/nurturing a product team
● How many product managers?
● Creating product teams
● Hiring strategy
● Coaching/Mentoring

11. Tools and Process
● Team Metrics
● Tools and Processes

12. Growing cross-functional collaboration
● Creating Teams
● Frequent communication of plans, goals, strategies and roles

13. Outcomes & Strategy
● Company strategy
● Portfolio-level strategy

14. Working with C-level execs
● Push for C-Level prioritization
● Identify goal misalignments and disincentives
● Be the economic voice of the company

15. Other things Product Leaders do
● Meetings
● Sales and Marketing Support
● Meet with Customers

16. Early lessons learned
● Learn from your mistakes
● Ask for help
● Know the details

17. “A product leader is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of a product
and, by extension, the company itself. The impact of that cannot be
underestimated.”
Richard Banfield
Author: “Product Leadership: How Top Product Managers Launch Awesome Products and Build
Successful Teams”

18. Contact info:
paul@phurwitz.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phurwitz/